The Government will continue the operation of the four Norwegian Loran-C stations, Værlandet (Askvoll Municipality in Sogn og Fjordane), Bø in Vesterålen (Nordland), Berlevåg (Finnmark), and Jan Mayen, in 2006. The reason for this is the renewed interest in this terrestrial navigation system in Europe.

Norway has terminated the Northwest European Loran-C cooperation agreement (the NELS agreement). It has also previously been decided that Norway shall stop the operation of Loran-C from 1 January 2006. Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland have decided to withdraw from the agreement. France will continue the operation of Loran-C.

There is a renewed interest in Europe now to establish Loran-C as a backup system for satellite-based navigation aids, but so far, there has been no final clarification of this matter. The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs has, in that context, received requests from the EU and the British and French authorities to continue the operation of Loran-C. The UK has started national trial operation of Loran-C, while France has decided to continue the system until 2015.

Russia has also expressed interest in continued Norwegian operations and possible cooperation with the corresponding Russian navigation system – Chayka.

- The Government has therefore submitted a proposal to the Storting to continue the operation of the four Norwegian Loran-C stations in 2006. The decisions made in Europe in 2006 with respect to the selection of a backup system will be of decisive importance to the operation of Loran-C at the Norwegian stations after 2006, says the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen.

• Northwest European Loran-C System